Joan Fontaine replaced Gene Tierney after Tierney collapsed, but Fontaine had an emotional breakdown as well, after which Jane Wyman signed for the role.
The Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) airliner prominently featured at the beginning of the film is a Douglas DC-7C Seven Seas, often called the ultimate airliner powered by piston engines. She was delivered to Pan Am in April 1957, registered in the United States as N754PA, and christened Clipper Victor. Even as this picture was being filmed, the DC-7 series was being rendered obsolete in passenger service by jet-powered airliners that offered faster, quieter, and smoother rides. Like many DC-7's, she was later converted into a DC-7CF freighter for Pan Am. She was sold in 1965 to Saturn Airways (a US freight hauler), reregistered N75476, and flew with them until 1969. After two more changes of ownership, the former Clipper Victor was scrapped sometime after March 1970.
Diane Varsi refused the part of Meg. Diane Baker was assigned as her replacement, but she eventually withdrew from the film.
Backgrounds were shot in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro. Location filming was done at Los Angeles International Airport, Lockheed Airport and Clover Field---all near Los Angeles.